Taking a daily dose of the antibiotic azithromycin may help prevent life-threatening complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), researchers say. These complications are commonly referred to as acute exacerbations, and they can cause frequent doctor visits and hospitalizations. Although numerous medications are available to help prevent exacerbations, some people still experience several flare-ups a year. For people with this more serious form of COPD, a new study found that taking azithromycin daily helped to reduce exacerbations. People on the antibiotic had an average of 1.48 exacerbations over a year, compared with 1.83 exacerbations for people who received usual care for COPD.
